Kulongoski caves in on Measure 37

Laurel and I were appalled to read in yesterday's Oregonian that Gov. Kulongoski is on the side of those who want to completely dismantle our state's pioneering land use laws. Kulongoski has aligned himself with Oregonians in Action, ignoring the advice of 1000 Friends of Oregon that it is better to do nothing about Measure 37 this legislative session rather than making an already bad law worse.

Senate Bill 1037 would allow transfers of new development rights when Measure 37 claimants sell their land. Measure 37 was supposedly about letting people build a single home on their beloved acreage, not selling out to developers who want to build a subdivision on farmland.

1000 Friends of Oregon is urging people who care about Oregon to contact Kulongoski and state Senators and tell them to stop SB 1037 in its tracks before it runs over our beautiful environment. Learn more about this issue here.

100 Friends of Oregon says, "Shockingly, the proposal to roll back our community and land protections is supported and being advocated for by Governor Kulongoski." Shame on you, Governor. I don't know why you're doing this, but whatever your reason is, it's wrong.

[Update: here's a more extensive view from a blogger about Kulongoski's new love affair with the pave-it-over Oregonians in Action property rights zealots.]

Comments

[ronled]

I oppose the payment of any money. The issue of the regulations should be addressed in isolation. The regulations must apply to everybody in like manner rather than creating a specific closed class of people. It is unfortunate that the two issues, payment or waiver, were linked. I see the risk of arbitrary payments, rather than arbitrary waiver, as a problem unto itself. It lends itself to wild uncontrollable value determinations.

I would view the payment or waiver issue from the perspective that the closed class is declared void as in violation of the equal privileges and immunities clause and thus either everybody gets the same right or no one does.

[Peter Bray]

As the Oregonian article states, Kulonoski has effectively made right-winger Dave Hunicutt "proud". What gives? Why on earth is the governor "compromising" by simply giving more and more to property speculators? In some ways, having Kevin Mannix as governor would be better than this smug character. At least you know where Mannix stands!

[PanchoPdx]

Dave Hunnicut is registered democrat. Always has been. If you ever meet him, ask him about it. I don't think his values have changed that much over the years, rather the party he joined as a kid is becoming less recognizable.

I guess a democrat can't support property rights anymore without being automatically lumped in the same group with the religious conservatives.

This attitude is just more evidence of how the D's are losing touch with mainstream voters.

M37 offered a straightforward question:

"If the government imposes restrictions on your property for benefitting (as opposed to simply protecting) the public, who should bear the cost of the burden?"

Having no answer to this simple question, your party whined,

"But it's too expensive."

Sorry, that's a loser. Take your medicine.